OASIS Alert
Must You Deny Needed Therapy?
Patient care and Medicare payment can depend on understanding the term "qualifying." True or False: Occupational therapy can be a qualifying service on recertification, even though the need for OT wasn't identified until the end of the original episode, after skilled nursing and physical therapy had completed providing services. Answer: True. This situation is confusing for many clinicians because OT cannot qualify the patient for the Medicare home health benefit in the original episode of care. Only SN, PT or speech language pathology can do that.
But once an agency establishes a qualifying service, if the patient has a continuing need for OT after the agency has discontinued other skilled services, OT can become a qualifying service, Cahaba GBA says in its March Home Health and Hospice Medicare A Newsline. And as a qualifying service, OT would allow dependent services such as a home health aide, Cahaba adds.
Note: For the Cahaba response, go to www.iamedicare.com/Provider/newsroom/newslines/newslines_hha.htm.
OASIS Alert
- Reimbursement:
Stay On Top Of P4P By Focusing On Key OASIS Issues
Reimbursement
Stay On Top Of P4P By Focusing On Key OASIS Issues
You won't have to wait [...] - Quality Improvement:
10 Essential Steps Guide You To P4P SuccessP4P Success
Do you know the name of your QIO contact?
Get ready for pay for performance with [...] - Clip 'N' Save:
Emergency Care Plan Alerts Your Patients To Call You First
To decrease unplanned hospitalizations, personalize this form and post it next to your patient's phone. - Assessment:
Don't Make This Common M0570 Mistake
Recent past may be further back than you think Just because M0570 doesn't affect the [...] - Survey & Certification:
Know When New ABN Rules Interact With OASIS
Single skilled nursing visits may be more than a financial drain. If you haven't digested [...] - Reader Question:
Brush Up On Diagnosis Coding Choices
In some ways, coding may be simpler than you think. Question: When we are choosing [...] - Advance Beneficiary Notices:
Tackle Home Health ABNs With These Practical Pointers
Be sure you know the three trigger points for issuing ABNs. Add those ABN forms--and [...] - Education:
Must You Deny Needed Therapy?
Patient care and Medicare payment can depend on understanding the term "qualifying." True or False: [...] - Diagnosis Coding:
Be On The Lookout For More Long-Term Drug Use Codes
One OASIS item that changes once or twice a year is the selection of available [...] - OASIS News:
Home Health Compare Improvements Slow To A Crawl
"Consumer-friendly" text announced. The Medicare home health industry is finding it harder than ever to [...]
